Helmsley, North Yorkshire
The market town of Helmsley is located on the edge of the North York Moors just 25 miles north of York and is a delightful place to visit for an afternoon or a great place to stay as a base for a holiday in North Yorkshire. There is a wide choice of accommodation ranging from hotels, pubs, bed and breakfasts and a youth hostel for those on a budget.
Helmsley's market square with its gothic monument is attractive and the heart of the town. The steps surrounding the monument are the focal point where visitors and bikers tend to perch eating ice-creams, having a rest or simply people-watching. Helmsley is a great place for food-lovers with a couple of excellent delicatessens, Hunters and the newly opened deli owned by the Michelin-starred Star Inn, Harome, as well as a good choice of pubs, restaurants and several cafes if you fancy a coffee, hot chocolate or an afternoon tea.
Around the market square are a number of shops worth browsing in: toy shops, shoe shops, a chocolate shop, gift shops, Browns and second-hand book shops.The cut-price book shop is great for book-lovers and stocks a wide range of new books at bargain prices.
Helmsley has a number of attractions including its thirteenth century castle, just behind the market square and owned by English Heritage (£4 for adults). Duncombe Park, a historic house with extensive gardens, is adjacent to the town and the Walled Gardens in Helmsley are also a popular attraction. Just to the north of the town is Rievaulx Abbey, an impressive former monastery.
Around Hemsley there are plenty of excellent walks on the North York Moors including the Cleveland Way footpath or places to cycle to - the tourist information will be able to advise. Helmsley has an open-air swimming pool which is open from June to September (adult sessions in the mornings, public sessions after lunch and fun sessions in the afternoon).
Helmsley is not only a great place for a day out but an excellent place to stay if you wish to explore the surrounding countryside and its attractions.
This entry was posted on Wednesday July 30th, 2008 at 12:03 AM and is filed under Places to Visit. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response.
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